RADIANT a.
rous plants; -- said also of the cluster which has such marginal flowers. Radiant energy (Physics), energy given out or transmitted by radiation, as in the case of light and radiant heat. -- Radiant heat, proceeding in right lines, or directly from the heated body, after the manner of light, in distinction from heat c…
RESIDUAL a.
ch remains after a less figure has been taken from a greater one. -- Residual magnetism (Physics), remanent magnetism. See under Remanent. -- Residual product, a by product, as cotton waste from a cotton mill, coke and coal tar from gas works, etc. -- Residual quantity (Alg.), a binomial quantity the two parts of wh…
SENSITIVE a.
ves of which, when plucked, show a slight tendency to fold together. -- Sensitive flame (Physics), a gas flame so arranged that under a suitable adjustment of pressure it is exceedingly sensitive to sounds, being caused to roar, flare, or become suddenly shortened or extinguished, by slight sounds of the proper pitch.…
SOLAR a.
nth. -- Solar oil, a paraffin oil used an illuminant and lubricant. -- Solar phosphori (Physics), certain substances, as the diamond, siulphide of barium (Bolognese or Bologna phosphorus), calcium sulphide, etc., which become phosphorescent, and shine in the dark, after exposure to sunlight or other intense light. -…
SONOROUS a.
nce, of sounds produced in a cavity, deep- toned; as, sonorous rhonchi. Sonorous figures (Physics), figures formed by the vibrations of a substance capable of emitting a musical tone, as when the bow of a violin is drawn along the edge of a piece of glass or metal on which sand is strewed, and the sand arranges itself…
SPHEROIDAL a.
Having the form of a spheroid. -- Sphe*roid"al*ly, adv. Spheroidal state (Physics.), the state of a liquid, as water, when, on being thrown on a surface of highly heated metal, it rolls about in spheroidal drops or masses, at a temperature several degrees below ebullition, and without actual contact with the heated su…
TANTALUS n.
A genus of wading birds comprising the wood ibises. Tantalus's cup (Physics), a philosophical toy, consisting of a cup, within which is the figure of a man, and within the figure a siphon, the longer arm of which passes down through the bottom of the cup, and allows the escape of any liquid that may be poured in, when…